


Acceptance

by Prancing_Buffalo



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: Bisexual Male Character, Bisexuality, Coming Out, Gen, Homophobia, Internalized Homophobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-07
Updated: 2019-04-07
Packaged: 2020-01-05 23:39:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18376457
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Prancing_Buffalo/pseuds/Prancing_Buffalo
Summary: Peter comes out to Tony as Bi. Tony has difficulty accepting him due to his own personal issues. This story deals with internalized biphobia,





	Acceptance

**Author's Note:**

> Criticisms and feedback welcome.

  
   Tony can see the disappointment slowly wash over Peter. His face changes instantly from his usual awkward smile to a deep frown. His shoulder sags and his whole body seems to just deflate from sadness. _Oh_. It comes out so small as if he didn’t even mean for it to slip out. _Oh._ Peter seems so heartbroken and lets down. A part of Tony just wants to take back what he says. To just hug him and never let go. To lie and say the worlds an accepting caring place. Tony opens his mouth.

   “That’s just my opinion, kid. Life already hard enough why make it harder.”

    Peter just stares at the work table. He seems so small and defenseless at that moment.

   “If your friend attracted to both maybe he should just stick to dating women.” Tony not sure why exactly he continues to talk. Maybe it’s to try and better explain himself. Maybe it’s to lessen the silence. Maybe it’s to convince himself that he’s right. Convince himself that his parents were right.

   “It’s just that,” he closes the distance between himself and Peter. He places a hand on Peters' shoulder, “if you could choose between an easy life or a hard one why would you choose the hard one? Not everyone’s open-minded.” Tony waits for some confirmation from Peter, some sign that he understands and agrees with him. Peter just stares harder at the tools in front of him. His shoulders tenser as he grips the table. Tony can see the anger and hurt on his face. Tony sighs and presses his hand against his face.

   “Look, Peter,” Tony drops all pretenses,” I just want what’s best for you. You already have a harder life than most teens your age. I just don’t want to see you add to that for no reason. I- 'm only looking out for your best interest you know, that, right?”

   As he says the words he can hear his moms voice in his head. How she said nearly the same thing when he was around Peters age. _Your father and I just want what’s best for you._ Tony remembers how hurt and alone he felt when his mom spoke those words to him. How after that he stopped sharing his worries and secrets with her. Yet despite knowing all this Tony continues repeating the same speech he heard from his parents. _I just want what’s best for you. You’re still young why not just wait for the right girl._ Because after all weren’t his parents, right? He did find love, an amazing love. He found happiness with a woman. He ended up happy so weren’t his parents right in a way.

   Tony waits for a response from Peter. Part of Tony wants Peter to break something or yell at him. Have the same reaction Tony did when his dad tried to send him away for “therapy.” But Peter does none of that. Peter, not him, he’s better. More mature and rational and aware then he was when he was a teen. Peter just nods his head and lets out a shaky, “I know.”

   Tony doesn’t know how to handle this situation. He’s never been good with emotions. He’s never been comforted like a child. Whenever he’d get upset his dad would just ignore him or tell him to man up. Tony doesn’t know what to say to an emotional teen. So, he says the first thing that pops into his head. “Maybe we should call it a night. Happy can drive you home.”

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this story to help myself come to terms with my own sexuality. I chose to deal with it the same way Tony decided to deal with it. Just ignoring the same-sex attraction side and focusing on "straight" attractions. And like Tony I did manage to still eventually find myself in a healthy and fulfilling relationship. This was to help me deal with the fact that I never really "came out" to anyone.


End file.
